I don't know what it is about water but it really is an amazing thing. Let me turn on the shower, begin to hear the water run and my brain goes into creative overdrive. When I actually step in and the water pours over me that is when the real ideas start swirling. I swear if I could take a computer into the shower with me I'd have written a novel by now. Its the craziest thing. Of course, by the time I get out, the ideas are making their last turn around the drain as they whisk out into the septic field. That feels about like what I've been creating lately...stuff ready for the ...well never mind.
Not only does the running water in the bathtub bring on inspiration but other watery places provide similar stimulus. Last January, while visiting Florida, I stayed in an old cypress cabin perched above the roiling, winter ocean. Here the waves beat the rhythm of the tides against the small cliff. The voice of the sea echoed amongst the stacked rocks of the cliff sometimes in angry vowels as it forced the salt spray into the air and at other times it whispered it's wisdom to those who would listen as it caressed the weathered mass of rocks and broken shells with soft, watery fingers. It was here that I started a story that has yet to be finished, in the middle of it's writing, I flew home.
One summer while working as a Naturalist for a local park district, I spent a part of many working days sitting next to, walking by or doing programs close to some body of water. I had my office next to a large lake where children and adults came to enjoy its peace and coolness. I sat on a bench talking to park guests a footpath width away from a medium sized pond and learned from the pond inhabitants about the wisdom of the seasons. I studied the frogs and toads and a beautiful Green Heron standing on the shore of another small pond. From them, I learned that nature provides in abundance if you live in harmony with her. This message I took to those who attended my programs. I considered this time to be a peak in my creative life.
So, what does this have to do with Thanks-giving, you ask? Well, during this morning's shower I came up with a great idea which this time I remembered. I am grateful for my creative gift but have not been doing much with it lately. So, I decided that during this season of thanks and giving that I would try to write something, if not every day at least once a week as my giving of thanks to the creator for the gift of creativity that has been given to me. I may or may not post everything here but I will try to write something regularly. Maybe I'll even roll out some bio-fiction.
So, what would happen if we all took the time to consider our talents and then decided to gift them to our world of friends during the rest of November and December? Who might you lift up, who might you inspire, maybe you'd make someone laugh out loud, maybe you'd heal some wounds or make a new friend. Despite the animosity prevalent in our world today, I believe that together we stand or fall. My passion for writing might not be yours but maybe you can bake the best pecan pie EVER (DEB!) or maybe you are a creative genius with a needle, maybe you love to garden or can paint or take photographs that inspire.
As the end of the world as we know it approaches on December 21, 2012 some think terrible things will happen or maybe nothing at all will occur. I think that as an old cycle ends we have the opportunity to kick off a new cycle, a cycle where we all live better, higher lives that are more focused on love, kindness and support of each other. A cycle where we recognize the talents we have been gifted with and instead of working for years doing things we hate for money, learn to live in a world that appreciates these gifts even if they are not the traditional ones. Like I said, I think when we all achieve, everyone wins. So, what will you give to the world in the next weeks?
